


KakaIru Week 2020 Shorts

by hkandi



Series: Iruka and Kakashi Birthday Stories [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Birthday, Community: kakairu_fest, Gen, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, Hijinks & Shenanigans, KakaIru Week 2020, M/M, Snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:28:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26364199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: I hopped on the KakaIru 2020 train! Short (and I do mean short, for once) stories that make a bigger one, following the themes for the week! Let's see how their relationship happens and grows!
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Umino Iruka, Haruno Sakura & Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Sasuke & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi & Umino Iruka, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Series: Iruka and Kakashi Birthday Stories [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915237
Comments: 34
Kudos: 86
Collections: KakaIru Week 2020





	1. Hobbies

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Kakashi took a deep breath as he stepped into the fresh air. Another day training his genin team, another day of Gai's challenges, another day finding somewhere fun to read.

Such interests and hobbies he had!

He laughed at himself at the thought as he went to meet his team. 

It was his job to train the genin. His duty as a friend to challenge Gai. And...well...maybe reading was a hobby, that was true.

He detoured from meeting his team, walking down a familiar path before eventually coming to a stop.

"Who'd have thought I'd be old enough to actually have hobbies?" he murmured, looking at his friends' names on the memorial stone. "Did I ever?"

Thoughts of the past came to him, and he figured that work had blurred the lines of becoming a hobby, given how many extra missions he took on.

And, he did have living friends he spent time with, outside of Gai and his challenges.

"Surely with so many Icha Icha these days, it's a worthy hobby," he mused. "I mean, with all the volumes, special editions, and movies?"

Nodding, he caught his friends up on his life, even though he was just out there the day before.

"Around this time you'd all be teasing me about how we would have just spent my birthday," he sighed. "I tried to keep it hidden, and it mostly worked out this year, with not much fuss being made."

Kakashi scratched his masked chin as he thought about it.

"These genin though, they're too smart for their own good sometimes. Somehow they found out, and treated me to dinner. Which, I admit, was nice. They're a thoughtful bunch when they want to be, able to work together when they really focus on it. But...they take after their former teacher a bit too much sometimes. Nice guy, very serious about his job. But his heart is too...big?" Kakashi shook his head. "Sometimes I think he cares too much. But not to worry, I'm usually on the receiving end of his other, not so nice behaviors, due to my antics."

Kakashi laughed as he shared some with his friends before departing, and went to meet his team to train.

Later that day, Kakashi escorted his genin to turn in a report from a mission they completed the day before.

Naruto, unsurprisingly, steered them into none other than Iruka's line, and they patiently waited.

Kakashi pulled his book out as the genin talked amongst themselves, pretending to read as he studied the teacher, thinking about what he had told his friends at the memorial stone that morning.

Maybe it was having recently faced another birthday, maybe it was that he was another year older, another year wiser, but how had he not exactly noticed the other man before?

Sure, he had noticed Iruka. They had talked, run into each other here and there, and made banter...argued...about Kakashi's attempts at reports.

But today, his mind was caught off guard by the man's smile, how his brow furrowed as he read, how he threw a pen at a coworker when they teased him?

"I'm either quite lonely, or swept off my feet," Kakashi mused to himself, comparing it to a scene from the Icha Icha in front of him.

If this were one of Jiraiya's stories, the sun would stream in and dance off Iruka's hair. A breeze would blow, ruffling the delicate strands. The genin would behave perfectly, Iruka would bat his eyelashes coyly at him, and Kakashi would say something suave that would make the younger man blush. They'd plan a date, and down the road when one of them asked the other to move in with them, they would laugh at how they had seen each other for so long without truly seeing each other, until that fateful day.

Kakashi sighed, he did so love a good romance story!

Suddenly, he was jostled out of his daydream by a loud, disgusting cough from elsewhere in the room.

Blinking several times, he looked around.

It was early evening, but it looked like rain, and so the skies outside the windows were a dreary gray.

The windows were closed, no delightful breeze would be entering today.

The line moved, and the genin began to argue. About what, Kakashi wasn't sure, but he sighed as he tried to break it up.

The shinobi in front of them had finished before the genin wrapped up, and instead of a bashful smile, Team 7 was greeted with an unimpressed and frowning Iruka.

"I don't believe that's appropriate behavior for shinobi," Iruka said, cocking his head as he studied them.

"See? Listen to Iruka-sensei and stop fighting," Kakashi said.

"I wasn't just talking about the genin, Kakashi-sensei," Iruka said, his frown deepening. "Perhaps less time in your book and more time focusing on your students?"

The genin snickered, and Kakashi's heart dropped as his daydream withered.

He could still salvage it and say something suave, couldn't he?

"It's always a delight to see you too, sensei," Kakashi said, winking at him.

"I'm sure," Iruka said, rolling his eyes and accepting their scroll.

Kakashi frowned underneath his mask. No laugh! No blush! No date!

Still, he put his book away and placed his hands in his pockets, and watched the other man read over their report before smiling at them (finally!) and stamping it.

"A very nice report," Iruka praised them. "Kakashi-sensei could learn a thing or two from you."

The genin thanked him and laughed at the copy nin, who shrugged.

"I can turn in a well written report," he argued.

"Of course, Kakashi-sensei," Iruka said, smirking. "I'm sure you do, once every, what, ten years?"

Kakashi sighed. This was not going how he thought it would. He surely needed to have a word with Jiraiya about the less than realistic aspects of some of his scenes.

"Next please," Iruka called out, and waved goodbye to Team 7 as the genin dragged Kakashi away, his mind thinking about Iruka's parting comment.

He paused them just down the hallway.

"Actually," Kakashi said, "I do have a report to turn in. I should do that now before it's even later."

Kakashi ignored the grumbles and complaints from his team and re-entered the missions office, standing in Iruka's line again. Unfortunately, the skies were still grey, and the windows closed, and so the scene didn't look any more promising than it had just a few minutes ago.

On a positive note, there were only two people ahead of him, and so he was soon at the front again.

"Can I help you?" Iruka asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Kakashi pulled out a scroll from his vest and lightly tapped it on the teacher's head, enjoying the look of bewilderment on his face.

"I have a report," he said, and Iruka rolled his eyes and grabbed it.

"Late again, I see," Iruka sighed as he reviewed it.

It wasn't too late for him to look at him from under his eyelashes, Kakashi mused, as he watched the other man read.

Instead, he was met with a frowning Iruka, again.

"It's not the worst report you've ever turned in," he said, stamping it.

"That might be one of the nicest things you've ever said to me," Kakashi said.

"Don't get used to it," Iruka countered.

"You know," Kakashi continued, ignoring the comment, "today I was reflecting on my hobbies. Do you know what one of them is?"

Iruka sat back and pursed his lips as he thought about it. "Being late?"

"Maa, fair," Kakashi shrugged. "I was going to go with 'apparently, annoying desk chuunin'," he said, giving Iruka an upside down eye smile. "What about you?"

Iruka smiled, to Kakashi's surprise. Maybe he had been able to be suave like in his mind after all?

Until, Iruka spoke. "One of my hobbies is terrorizing jonin who turn in terrible reports."

Kakashi sighed happily. "I've recently discovered that I like you."

"Scram," Iruka said, rolling his eyes. 

"Let's get dinner and we can talk more," Kakashi suggested. Any second now, they'd have their date planned, and he'd thank Jiraiya for his motivation after all.

"I don't think so," Iruka said, as Kakashi's bubble burst.

However, before either could say anything more, Naruto popped his head into the room.

"Iruka-sensei! Remember you said we're going to dinner together tonight! I invited my team along, hope you don't mind!"

Iruka looked past Kakashi to smile at Naruto. "Sakura and Sasuke are welcome to join us, of course."

"Kakashi-sensei, you can come too!" Naruto shouted, and Iruka froze with the smile on his face as his eyes met Kakashi's visible one.

"Maa, thank you, Naruto, don't mind if I do," Kakashi said, grinning underneath his mask. "See you for dinner after all, sensei," he purred, winking at Iruka before turning and leaving.

Well, it hadn't gone as smoothly as in Jiraiya's books, but he still got his date!


	2. Health

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

"How is your health, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi blinked. "My...health?"

The person in front of him nodded from behind their missions office desk.

Kakashi sighed but gave an upside down eye smile. "Iruka-sensei, what makes you ask such a question? Oh!" He leaned towards the other man and lowered his voice. "Did you want to play doctor-patient later?"

Iruka rolled his eyes. "We've only gone out three times," he hissed, "so, no." He resumed his normal volume. "My job here," he said, gesturing to the missions office, "involves auditing personnel records. Do you know what that means?"

"That...you know my hair is naturally silver?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka frowned. "No. Well, yes. But, it means I know when shinobi are skipping out on necessary medical appointments. Annual physicals, regular evaluations after a certain number of type of missions, seasonal vaccines."

"I don't understand," Kakashi said, blandly.

Iruka sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're not minding your health like you're supposed to. You need to have a physical exam appointment."

"So, we are playing doctor-patient?"

"This is a place of professionalism!" Iruka hissed, glancing around.

"Maa, I'll be professional while we act it out?"

"Thank kami my shift is over," Iruka muttered. "I'm heading out," he called out to his coworker as he stood, and they waved before returning their attention to the shinobi at their own desk.

Kakashi walked him out, and they looked at each other as they stood on the street in front of Hokage Tower.

"Dinner?" Kakashi suggested, and Iruka frowned at him.

"You're trying to change the subject."

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Am not."

Iruka sighed. "We're arguing like children. Just schedule a physical and go, it shouldn't be this big of a deal."

Kakashi muttered something and Iruka's forehead wrinkled as he tried to listen.

"What?" he asked, and it was Kakashi's turn to sigh.

"I said, I don't wanna go," he said, toeing the dirt with his sandal.

Iruka slapped his own forehead. "Oh my kami, I've been going out with a child! The great Sharingan Hatake is a little brat, who knew!"

"Technically, lots of people. It's just sad you discovered it so early into our courtship."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Don't act like that. If I make the appointment, will you go?"

"If you do it too," Kakashi countered, looking at him hopefully.

"Seriously?"

Kakashi nodded eagerly.

"Brat," Iruka said, shaking his head. "Fine. Let's go make the appointments now."

Kakashi gave him an eye smile and they set off to the hospital, where the front desk staff looked at them in surprise.

"Iruka-sensei, and Hatake-san? Are you both alright?"

Iruka laughed. "We're fine. Just looking to schedule our annual physicals."

The two medics at the front desk exchanged another look of surprise, but pulled out a ledger and helped them to schedule appointments for the same day and time, in a week, ignoring Kakashi's protests that it was far too soon.

"How did you convince him to schedule a physical?" one of the medics whispered to Iruka, who shrugged.

"He lost a bet with Gai-sensei," Iruka suggested, and this seemed to appease the medics' curiosity, as they nodded.

Iruka waved to them as they left, and they again paused once they were on the street.

"There. Now you can't skip the appointment unless you're out on a mission," Iruka said. "And I'm putting a note in your file that you're not to be given a mission purposely to avoid it," he added, before Kakashi could say anything.

"You're mean," Kakashi commented, and Iruka shrugged.

"At least I covered for you in there. Want me to go back and tell them that I'll have to hold your hand during the exam?"

"Is that a promise or a threat?" 

"Both?"

_____

On the day of their appointment, Iruka waited outside of the hospital for the copy nin.

"He promised he wouldn't be late," he sighed, checking the time. They still had a few minutes before they were supposed to check-in, which was about ten minutes before their actual appointments.

"Iruka-sensei!" he heard, and turned towards the voice.

There, to his surprise, Team 7 was walking with Kakashi.

"Hello!" Iruka greeted them.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted back. "I'm here."

"So I see. And you brought your team?" Iruka asked, slightly confused.

"Maa, I thought I should set a good example for them at the start of their careers."

"Stop lying," Sasuke said, frowning. "You said it was an order, and if we didn't come, you'd find a way to make us be genin forever."

Iruka looked at Kakashi with wide eyes, and the copy nin scratched the back of his head as Naruto and Sakura nodded.

"Well," Kakashi said. "I thought, the more the merrier?"

"I'm pretty sure your exact words were 'if I have to suffer today, so do the three of you'," Sakura reminded him, and Iruka frowned.

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm not sure that's exactly the attitude to model for your impressionable team," he said, and Kakashi shrugged.

"Well, we're all here, so why waste anymore time?" 

And with that, he ushered the others in.

They sat in a row of chairs, Iruka at one end, with Kakashi to his right, and the genin next to Kakashi.

The genin attempted to look at each other's clipboards as they filled out the regular pre-appointment paperwork, and Iruka found that he and Kakashi also began to steal glances at each other's.

"I'm not sure if this is proper early dating etiquette," Iruka murmured. "We might learn things we aren't meant to yet?"

"You've accessed my records," Kakashi reminded him. "What don't you want me to see on yours?"

"I didn't access your actual medical records!" Iruka quietly sputtered, face turning red.

"What shouldn't I see?" Kakashi asked in a low voice.

"Nothing!"

"Maa, fine, fine," Kakashi said, returning his focus to his own paperwork.

Iruka nodded, shuffled in his seat, and resumed filling out his own, when a gloved hand snatched his clipboard away.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Iruka hissed, mortified.

"Don't make a fuss or you'll draw attention," Kakashi whispered, and Iruka angrily crossed his arms and looked at the floor.

Kakashi quickly read it through and passed it back a moment later.

"Happy?" Iruka snapped, and Kakashi shrugged.

"So your love life's been a little slow recently, mine has too," Kakashi said, quietly, but before Iruka could respond, they were all called back into separate rooms.

_____

Kakashi was back in the waiting room, reading his trusty orange book, when his genin and Iruka came back out, all rubbing their left arms.

"Why the glum faces?" he asked, looking up.

"Vaccines," Iruka sighed.

"Who knew you needed more shots when you became a shinobi?" Sakura groaned, and Sasuke sighed.

"How many did you get?" Naruto asked Kakashi.

"None."

"None?" Naruto repeated. "What?! That's ridiculous! How come?!"

"Apparently I was up to date with my vaccinations," Kakashi said, shrugging. "Guess you all were the slackers, hmm?"

"I bet you were only up to date because you end up here often enough," Sasuke posed, gesturing to the overall hospital.

Kakashi gave them an eye smile. "Perhaps! Shots don't hurt if you're unconscious, am I right?"

Iruka rolled his eyes but laughed. "Not exactly something to strive for or celebrate," he suggested. "But one less thing for us all to worry about for missions," Iruka said to the genin, who nodded as they all walked out.

"And for us as a new couple," Kakashi whispered, winking at the teacher, who blushed slightly.

"None of that around the genin!" Iruka hissed.

"What happened to when we were younger, and we'd get a lollipop when we got a vaccine," Sakura groaned. "I sure could use one right now!"

Naruto agreed, and Iruka laughed.

"Maa, tell you what, since you all came here because of me, I'll buy you ice cream," Kakashi offered, and Naruto and Sakura cheered.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him. "Since when do you eat ice cream? And in the fall?"

Kakashi shrugged and put his hands in his pockets as they walked. "I'm feeling too cheap to offer to buy a meal for everyone, so it's a compromise," he said, and the Uchiha shrugged but turned to talk with his teammates.

"He has a point," Iruka laughed, softly. "You don't eat ice cream much."

"True, but you do, and I wanted to do something nice, even if it meant bringing the brats along."

Iruka laughed again. "I'm flattered. Perhaps I'll make it up to you later," he said, with a wink.

"So, we are playing doctor-patient after all?" Kakashi asked, running ahead to avoid Iruka's wrath.


	3. Missions

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

"What did you say?" Iruka asked, blinking in confusion.

"Don't make me repeat it," Kakashi said, sat on the younger man's left as they sat outside on a park bench.

"You want me to what? With who? Where?"

"I didn't think it was a big deal," the copy nin sighed.

"We've been going out for like two months. Asking something like this is a very big deal."

"Maa, you should be flattered then. I want to share this experience with you."

"I doubt that's what this is."

"Fine," Kakashi said. "I have to go on a mission and it would be nice to know you're doing it while I'm gone."

"I'm just surprised, is all," Iruka said, fiddling with a leaf.

"You shouldn't be."

Iruka turned to look at him. "It's a big thing to ask, I'm not sure I'm up for it?"

"Well it's been assigned to you, so there."

Iruka sighed as he looked at the scroll Kakashi had handed him. "B-rank mission to take the pack to the groomers, huh?"

____

Kakashi had given Iruka a masked kiss to the forehead and a soft "goodbye, and good luck" before he set off.

Iruka watched him go until he couldn't see him, then continued to the academy to get ready for the day.

His mind was half on his class, and half on his upcoming mission...

Where did one even start with assisting...monitoring...taking care of...ninken? It's not like he had much experience.

Sure, he had met one or two of them, but to be tasked with all eight?

And to get them to the groomers? Surely it would be difficult if it was a B-rank!

Later, Iruka sighed as he packed up for the day. 

"He could have just asked," he said to himself. "He didn't need to go paying for me to do it...unless it's so hard that there was no other way..."

Iruka shook his head and squared his shoulders.

"I just need to treat this like any other mission. Plan, prepare, execute," he said, nodding at his words.

And so, taking advantage of not needing to be at the missions desk that night, Iruka stopped in the academy library and discretely borrowed a few books on ninken, before heading home to grade, read, and plan.

____

Two days later, Friday afternoon after class, Iruka did what any shinobi would do ahead of a mission - he took a list and went shopping for equipment.

Only in this case, it was dog food and treats.

And nice cuts of beef.

And ramen from Ichiraku's, but that was for him.

Then he went home, ate, and got everything ready. The rest of the night was spent pacing around his apartment going over the rest of his plan, as tomorrow was the big day.

_____

On Monday, Kakashi summoned Bisuke and Akino for the mission, to confirm some scents.

They rested once camp for the night was secured.

"He what?" Kakashi asked, surprised.

"Took us to the groomers," Bisuke said. "It was so much fun!"

"The groomers was fun?" Kakashi asked again, blinking. "It's never fun for you guys. You give me such a headache when I try to even bathe you at home! In fact, you're all such nightmares for the groomers that that's why I had to start bathing you at home..."

Akino shrugged. "Well, it was different with Iruka-sensei. No one complained, and it was quite relaxing."

Kakashi narrowed his visible eye. "Did he slip you guys something?"

The dogs rolled their eyes.

"No," Bisuke said.

"Then what was different?"

"It just was."

Kakashi shook his head, and summoned Pakkun. Surely the particular pug would be honest with him.

"Boss," Pakkun greeted him.

"You went to the groomers?" Kakashi asked.

"We did," Pakkun said, looking at the others, who shrugged.

"We tried to tell him," Akino stated.

"So what's the problem?" Pakkun said, turning to Kakashi.

"Tell me what happened."

"He was very reasonable about the whole thing," Pakkun said, studying the environment. "A real gentleman."

"I know Iruka is," Kakashi said, waving the conversation on. "But how did that get you all into the groomers?"

"Well, we met him near the groomers, and he decided he wanted to have a talk first."

"A talk?"

"A talk," Pakkun said. "As to why it would be a high rank mission. He heard our concerns and feelings, and talked to the groomers, and it was a smooth ride from there on."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"That's all it took?" Kakashi asked, still stunned.

The dogs rolled their eyes.

"Well it's not like you ever did that," Bisuke pointed out. "You just practically threw us in the groomers' shop and ran!"

Kakashi shrugged but didn't deny it.

"Now, if you don't need us, we wouldn't mind getting back," Pakkun said.

"Back?" Kakashi asked.

"To the sensei's apartment."

"You're still there?" Kakashi near-shouted. "Why?"

"It was beef stew night," Pakkun said, and the other dogs whined. "Don't worry, he saved some for you," Pakkun told them, and they stopped whining and wagged their tails.

"What about me?" Kakashi pouted.

"He said he'd put some in the freezer for you as he wasn't sure when you'd get back. And, in his words, 'what kind of shape Kakashi will be in'."

"He has a point," Akino said.

"I'd argue, but it's true," Kakashi agreed. "Fine, you can all head back to him. Give him my regards," Kakashi said, and the ninken dispersed.

Kakashi settled onto his bedroll, as he wasn't due to be on guard for a few hours.

"He got them to the groomers, and cooked for us all," he thought to himself as he drifted off to sleep. "What a guy..."


	4. Lessons

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Kakashi woke and stretched, his muscles aching slightly. He had already gone through his big "oh, I passed out after the mission after taking sharp things in soft places and I'm back home in the hospital" wake up, so this was less...surprising.

What was surprising, pleasantly surprising, was to see Iruka reading next to his bed.

The younger man looked up as he heard the copy nin move, and smiled at him.

"Hello," Iruka greeted him.

"Yo," Kakashi said. "You're here."

Iruka laughed. "I am. A little birdy told me you were here and able to have visitors."

"And who was the birdy?" Kakashi asked.

Iruka shrugged. "Well, perhaps more of a furry ninken than a birdy," he admitted.

"I had heard that you completed the mission," Kakashi said, smiling under his surgical mask. "Good."

Iruka rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Was taking care of the pack a relationship test?"

"Mission," Kakashi corrected him.

"Because it felt like a relationship test."

"Mission."

"Well, it's good it wasn't a test, because they told me some rather...embarrassing...stories about you," Iruka informed him.

Kakashi sighed. "Ugh. Lesson learned, don't leave you alone with them. Got it."

Iruka shrugged. "I'm sure I'll be able to bribe them for more interesting information in the future," he commented. "Some good food, some belly rubs, shouldn't be too hard."

"Traitors," Kakashi said, shaking his head. 

"Speaking of lessons," Iruka said, "I hope you learned your lesson after this mission?"

"What?"

"The doctor said it was a good thing you had your physical exam when you did," Iruka said, "as one of your wounds had poison in it."

Kakashi pursed his lips. "It happens sometimes. I don't see the connection?"

Iruka frowned. "They had up to date information on you, from your own mouth and not your chart, and were able to heal you faster."

Kakashi reflected on this before shrugging. "It's a risk, I suppose."

"An unnecessary one!" Iruka pointed out. "Just...make sure you go to all your appointments from now on, okay? No more old information in your charts."

"Maa, sensei, is this you showing how much you care about me?"

"I tell you how much I care about you regularly," Iruka sighed. "This is me making sure you're okay when I'm not around, as apparently you're not old enough to take care of yourself properly."

"I never said I was," Kakashi said, winking at him, and Iruka laughed. 

"Noted," the teacher sighed. "Now let's see if we can get two orders of green jello sent up at dinner..."


	5. Pets

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

"I'm thinking of getting a pet," Iruka announced as they ate dinner at his apartment one night.

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, surprised.

"Yeah. When I took care of the pack all by myself it was fun."

"A dog?"

"I don't know," Iruka admitted.

"Maa, just get a plant. I'll buy you one," Kakashi offered, not really wanting to share Iruka's attention with a pet.

"You can't cuddle a plant," the teacher commented.

"Can't you?" Kakashi asked, thinking of his own plant, and Iruka shook his head.

Kakashi took his silence as an opportunity to move the conversation to a new topic, to avoid more talk about who would steal Iruka's cuddles.

__

A week later, they were walking around the village and stopped by a pet store, where Iruka looked at puppies in the window.

Kakashi stood nodding slightly, as he approved of Iruka getting a dog, if the man was adamant about a pet.

A few days later, Iruka looked at kittens in the window of another store.

"No cats!" Kakashi said, disagreeing with the man's interest. "They're a waste."

"They're fun and cuddly," Iruka said, watching a grey kitten play with a toy. "And they keep mice away, how is that a waste?"

"I'm fun and cuddly," Kakashi said, pouting.

Iruka raised an eyebrow at him as they entered the store.

"But you go on missions and I'm left alone," he said to the copy nin.

"Then how about a snake?" Kakashi suggested, still not wanting to share his boyfriend.

"I'm friends with Anko, so definitely not."

This continued whenever they passed a pet store on their dates, or even when they were out in the woods or parks.

Over the next few weeks, they discussed and debated dogs, cats, birds, fish, snakes, lizards, and even squirrels.

Finally, one day, Kakashi had had enough.

"Move in with me," he said, as they ate dinner at Iruka's apartment.

Iruka coughed into his food. "What?"

"What?"

"Move in together?"

"Sure," Kakashi said, calmly eating. "Why not?"

Iruka took a large gulp of water to clear his throat. "That's a big step."

Kakashi shrugged. "I'm ready."

Iruka shook his head. "Have you thought this through? Really thought it through?"

"Maa, maybe," Kakashi said, dismissively. "We've been dating for a few months, I really like you, you really like me. And you'd have the pack as pets."

"Is that why you want to live together?" Iruka asked, furrowing his brow.

"It got me thinking about it, sure."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "I can't afford eight dogs, even part time. One dog or pet, sure, but eight?"

"I already afford it," Kakashi said. "So it wouldn't be an issue or extra expense for you."

"Do they know you're volunteering them?" Iruka asked, laughing.

"Good point," Kakashi said, setting his chopsticks down. He bit his thumb and slammed his hand on the floor, summoning the pack, who were instantly excited to find themselves at Iruka's apartment. Especially during dinnertime.

Kakashi explained what he suggested, and the pack increased their excitement at the prospect of everyone living together.

"On good days, I'll let you play with my paw pads," Pakkun offered, and Kakashi gave Iruka a double thumbs up.

Iruka laughed. "How can I say no to that offer?" he said, but paused, and a look of sadness flickered over his face. "But...what if we broke up?" Iruka asked, softly.

Kakashi blinked at him with his visible eye. 

"Where would I go then?" Iruka sighed, and poked his food.

"So I'll move in here," Kakashi said, quietly.

"What?" Iruka asked, looking at him in surprise.

"Well, that way you have security," Kakashi suggested. "If it all goes south, I leave, and you're still in place. Not that I'm planning on leaving," he said awkwardly, blushing slightly.

Iruka smiled. "I'm just a worrier, I suppose. Are you sure about all this?"

"I am, if you are."

Iruka reached across the table and grasped his hand. "I am. I didn't expect it, but I'm excited just thinking about it!" 

They sat in silence for a moment, processing their decision as they finished dinner, as the dogs talked excitedly amongst themselves about the news.

When dinner and the dishes were done, Kakashi suggested they watch a movie, and the soon found themselves on the sofa, buried under a pile of dogs.

"Are you regretting this yet?" Kakashi asked, shifting Bisuke to a more comfortable place on his leg.

Iruka laughed as he pet Bull. "Never."


	6. Letters/anniversaries

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

My most cuddly Iruka,

I'm sorry I had to be on a mission and away for our eight month anniversary. Of course eight months is special! I don't know why we debated what we should do. Sure, any couple can celebrate six months and then a year and every year, but eight months shouldn't be neglected. Maybe we should also celebrate ten months? That's a nice, even number.

Obviously, I can't say where I am or what I'm doing, though I imagine with your clearances you already know. But! Sleep well knowing that I'll be back as soon as I'm able to. And unless I need them, you've got the pack to keep you company. Unfortunately I've got my genin to keep me company, or, should I say, keep me busy trying not to leave them abandoned somewhere on the road. Kidding, kidding! I know you'd kill me if I left Naruto anywhere. But, hey, if he chooses to fall under a genjutsu and sleep somewhere for an extra week or two and leave me in sweet silence, well, those things just happen sometimes.

But, back to us. Us! What a nice word! The past eight months have been amazing. Who'd have thought that turning in so many bad reports would have such a reward! Good thing no one else did, or you wouldn't have been free to go out with me. Looking back, it's been better than I could have or dared to let myself think. Dates, fun memories, moving in together, going on our first trip. A few fights here and there, sure, but what's life without it's ups and downs? 

On a serious note, I miss you every day when we separate to go off on our own tasks in the village, and even more when I know we'll be apart for days or weeks at a time. I know you understand, we both chose life as shinobi, but it never makes it any easier.

Sometimes I think back to when Naruto would get so excited after a day of training because "Iruka-sensei is taking me for ramen!" or "Iruka-sensei said he'll meet me tomorrow to help with extra training!" or even "Iruka-sensei said we'll go to the market when he finishes work!" I used to wonder what it was like to be able to look forward to spending time with a person on such everyday things, as it had been so long for me, but now I understand it.

And I'm grateful you have space in your heart for not only Naruto and I, but for the whole village it seems, sometimes.

Well, I should wrap this up as I'm writing it in bed next to you and you're doing that light snoring thing that says you'll be waking up soon...

Much love, and I'll see you soon,

K

____________

Hey you,

I know we said we'd write letters and leave them in a locked box to read together once you got back from your mission, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you broke your word and took this letter with you. Tell me I'm wrong, hmm? So, I won't write anything...identifying...in case it falls into the wrong hands. Whether that's enemies' hands or just of your team, I'm not sure. But both could be bad news...

So. Eight months. Eight! How crazy is that? Time feels like it flew by and just yesterday we were bumbling our way through our awkward second date. Do you remember it? Nothing went right! First it began to rain when we were walking to dinner, then we slipped and fell off a roof into mud (are we really trained shinobi??), and then the restaurant wouldn't let us in because we were all muddy (understandable, but still...). And trusty Ichiraku's was closed for repairs, so remember how we ended up getting the mud off us so we could sit in the corner of that random, small cafe where the owners took pity on us? I think that sitting there wearing pink floral towels, drinking scalding hot tea, and laughing about it all with you was when I knew we had something special.

You. You're just something else, you know that? I know you perpetuate different images, and kami knows the rumor mill of Fire Country keeps new ones of you running, but I'm humbled and flattered to know the real you. The one that your friends whose names you visit daily know. How kind and caring you are, how much of yourself to give to others. I know you think I give too much of myself to the village at times, but you, you've given so much blood, sweat, and tears, and I'm amazed that you keep something for me. For us. 

Moving in together has been amazing, and I love waking up to you each day. Even if you are a blanket monster when it gets cold! And the days I wake up on my own are bittersweet, as at least I have all of the blankets (ha!), but the bed feels that much bigger, like now. But I know you'll be back soon, and I treasure that we have a shared space like we do.

Come back soon and as safely as possible.

I love you!

Signed,

Me

__________

Extra:

"I do not snore, Kakashi!"  
"Maa, but it's just so cute..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe extra out of character, but it's an anniversary, so they're allowed to be sappy and all, etc etc...


	7. Switch

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

"Are you okay, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, and Kakashi looked at her.

"Hmm? Why do you ask that, Sakura?"

"You've seemed a little distracted today," she said. "And you've been on that page in your book for a while now."

Kakashi gave her an eye smile. "I'm fine, and it's one of my favorite parts."

"I think it's because Iruka-sensei is on a mission," Naruto interjected. "He better get back soon, he said he'll take me for ramen as soon as he's home!"

"You could take yourself to ramen," Sasuke said to Naruto. "Now that you have your own money from our missions."

"Yeah, but ramen's so much better with him!" Naruto whined.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head as he put his book away. "I'm sure he'll be back soon," he said, "and I'm not distracted because of him. If anything, his absence gives me a good opportunity to submit some rather embarrassingly late reports..."

The genin seemed to buy this claim, so Kakashi stuck with it. But it was true, he thought to himself as he sat in the apartment that night.

Iruka was on a mission, and Kakashi missed him. Sure, the teacher didn't go on missions often, but not so irregularly that it was a strange occurrence.

This just happened to be a longer one than usual, and Kakashi wanted his boyfriend home!

He kept himself busy with cleaning the apartment, terrorizing his team, hanging out with friends, challenging Gai (and winning!), and re-watching the Icha Icha movie, but he still missed him.

Kakashi found his mood switch from just missing the younger man to concern and worry when Iruka's team did not arrive home in the expected timeframe.

Sure, Kakashi had reminded Naruto (and himself, truth be told) that it was not uncommon for missions to go a bit longer than expected. And that it didn't mean anything bad.

But now it was four days past the expected return, and Kakashi would just pace the apartment twirling a shuriken on his fingers while he waited for news.

Any minute now, any minute, Iruka would come through the door, a tired but warm smile on his face.

Right?

_______

Six days after the team was due back, there was a knock on the apartment door at a quarter to ten at night.

Kakashi raced to open it, the wards tingling with a strange excitement. 

Iruka must be too exhausted to open the door himself, Kakashi thought, as he wrenched the door open....

Only to come face to face with an ANBU.

Kakashi felt his heart clench.

"Alive?" he whispered, fearful of the answer.

"Alive. At the hospital," Cat said, and Kakashi released a shaky breath, nodding.

"Let's go," he said, closing the door and resetting the wards before leaving in a swirl of leaves with the ANBU.

______

Iruka woke slightly groggily, his eyes trying to adjust to the bright sunlight streaming in.

White walls, white ceiling, white stiff sheets. And he wasn't wearing his uniform...

He sighed and blinked sleep away.

"Yo."

Iruka turned towards the voice to his left and wearily smiled. "Kakashi."

The copy nin leaned towards him from his seat in a chair next to the bed.

"You don't look good," Iruka said, as they held hands.

"Maa, I'm supposed to be saying that to you," Kakashi sighed. "How are you feeling?"

Iruka shrugged. "We ran into a bit of a fight, well, a few fights. My shoulder got banged up, and we were all pretty chakra exhausted."

"What was it you said the one time I was here?" Kakashi reflected.

"Which time?" Iruka teased.

"Something about learning lessons, that it was a good thing I got my physical exam when I did?"

Iruka laughed softly. "That's fair. It was a good thing I went with you and got all my shots. But if I hadn't gone then I would have attended my own appointment anyway. If I recall correctly I was just quite early for my exam, you were pretty late for yours."

Kakashi waved it off. "They must have put you on the good stuff here, that's not how I remember it," he said, and Iruka laughed again, wincing slightly.

"Are you alright though?" Iruka asked, and Kakashi shrugged but looked at their joined hands.

"I was...worried...when you didn't come home when we thought you would."

"I guess our roles got a little switched, huh?" Iruka said. "Usually you're out in the field and I'm at home feeling worried."

Kakashi sighed, and Iruka squeezed his hand.

"Part of our lives, our jobs," Iruka reminded him.

"It doesn't make it any easier," Kakashi said. "And I'm not used to being the one waiting..."

Iruka laughed. "True, usually we're all waiting for you to stop running late."

"Maa, sensei, was this all just a big lesson for me to learn?"

Iruka rolled his eyes. "I think it was a painful one for us both to learn," he said, gingerly rolling his right shoulder. "And not one I'm eager to repeat."

Kakashi sighed. "At least you're home, I'm grateful for that. Plus, I can probably use you being here as an excuse to get out of training my team for a few days."

Iruka glared at him. "No you don't!"

"But you'll be away from the academy! I'm just fully embracing the role of loving, supportive, caring boyfriend, rather than sensei of a loud and obnoxious team."

Iruka rolled his eyes. "You really are a brat."

"Maa, a brat who will bring you takeout ramen so you don't have to eat the hospital food?"

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "That's tempting....though I do love their jello here...."

Kakashi laughed. "We'll still get the kitchen to send up the green jello."

Iruka smiled and shuffled in bed to get more comfortable. "Then...take on any role you want."

Kakashi leaned in and gave him an eye smile. "So, finally, we're playing doctor-patient?"


	8. Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Kakashi!

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Kakashi woke and rolled over into the warm body next to him, snuggling closer.

He sighed deeply, and winced as an unpleasant smell hit him.

"I love you," he groaned, "but I think you need a new toothbrush."

The warm body shifted.

"We don't have toothbrushes," a gruff voice said, and his eye snapped open.

The pack were draped around the bedroom, including on the bed next to him.

"But you could get us those dog treats that help brush our teeth," Bull suggested.

"Yeah, boss, they're tasty, and good for us!" Bisuke added.

Kakashi sighed. "Where's Iruka?"

"He had to leave early for a meeting, don't you remember?" Akino reminded him.

"Apparently not," Pakkun stated. "I'd say it's because you're a year older now, but I'm older than you and I'm in much better shape."

Kakashi rolled his eye as he sat up and stretched. "Is that your way of wishing me a happy birthday?"

Pakkun gave him a brief toothy smile. "Maybe. Now get up so we can start our day."

Kakashi sighed but did as told, and soon he was showered and in uniform, drinking coffee in the kitchen.

Iruka had left a note for him, wishing him a good morning and a happy birthday, and that he would see Kakashi that night.

Kakashi read and re-read it, before gently tucking it away with other notes Iruka had left him over time, in a small box in a closet.

He soon left their apartment and headed to spend time at the memorial stone, reminiscing about previous birthdays with his loved ones.

"Another year, another birthday," he sighed as he looked at their names. "How did I get to be this lucky?"

Kakashi sat in silence for a moment. "Remember just after this time last year, when I told you my team had found out it was my birthday, that they took after their former teacher too much? Ha, well, I'm glad they did, that they still do. I can't say I blame them, I'm pretty sure not only being a jonin sensei has changed me, but also having Iruka in my life now. Almost a year, can you believe it? Don't worry, he still yells at me when I turn in late reports. And when I bleed on our kitchen floor. And when I escape the hospital early to recovery at home with him. The usual crimes, really."

Kakashi stayed there a while longer before leaving to meet his team, feeling at peace with the day.

___

He had dismissed his team in the late afternoon and began to wander around the village.

It was late enough in the day that he didn't seem soft in letting his team go a little earlier than usual, but still early enough that Iruka would probably be at the academy a bit longer to wrap up things there.

And so, he was quite surprised to see a familiar brunette ponytail at a market stall.

"Buying anything special, sensei?" Kakashi asked as he approached.

Iruka looked up and warmly smiled. "Oh, just a little of this, and a little of that." He finished his purchase and thanked the vendor, and they continued to walk around.

"I thought you'd still be at the academy," Kakashi posed, trying to peek into Iruka's bag.

Iruka shifted the bag slightly to keep it out of view. "Well, I didn't want to waste any time tonight, so I thought I'd get an early start."

They continued to walk around, buying a few general items for the household before setting off for home.

"Maa, not that I'm complaining, but nothing you bought just now really screams 'dinner,'" Kakashi commented.

Iruka laughed. "True, it's mostly for the rest of the week. I have other plans for dinner." 

They soon reached their apartment and let themselves in, removing their sandals and beginning to unpack and put away their purchases in the kitchen.

Just then, the apartment door opened, and Kakashi paused, looking at Iruka with a raised eyebrow.

Iruka shrugged and smiled.

"Hello!" a familiar voice called out, and Kakashi's eyebrow went higher.

"Iruka?" he asked, and another Iruka entered the kitchen, taking off his academy bag and putting a white box from a local bakery on the kitchen counter.

The new Iruka embraced him while the first Iruka waved hello and continued to put items away.

His arms around Kakashi's waist, the new Iruka leaned up and kissed his masked cheek.

"Hello, and happy birthday! How was your day?"

"Fine," Kakashi said, looking between the two Irukas. "And which one of you is the real one?"

Both Irukas shook their heads.

"Honestly, we've been dating for almost a year, if you can't tell by now..." the first Iruka said, and the second Iruka nodded.

Just then, the door opened again.

"Hello!"

"Oh kami," Kakashi sighed, as a third Iruka entered the kitchen with a large bag of takeout.

"Hello to you too," the third Iruka teased him.

"He's just being fussy," the second Iruka said, leaving Kakashi to move to the takeout and peer into the bag.

"He doesn't know who's who," the first Iruka informed the third Iruka.

All three Irukas turned to look at him, and he shrugged. 

Kakashi began to reach towards his forehead and the Irukas laughed.

"No sharingan, that's cheating!" the third Iruka said.

"Anyway, does it matter?" the first one asked.

"We'd all have the same memories," the second Iruka agreed.

"Well," Kakashi said, "if three Irukas are my birthday present, count me in!"

He was rewarded with three sets of eye rolls, and two Irukas dispersed.

"Happy now?" the second Iruka, the now lone Iruka, said, sticking his tongue out.

Kakashi pulled him into a hug again. "Very."

"Good," Iruka said, hugging him before nudging him towards the kitchen table. "Now go sit and we'll eat."

They pulled out the takeout dishes and began to eat.

"So, clones to do the dirty work?" Kakashi laughed, and Iruka shrugged.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to get out early today," Iruka sighed, "so I figured clones would help cut down on the time. And it worked! But, tell me about your day."

Kakashi sighed. "The genin tried to be on their best behavior since they knew what today was, but as you can imagine, it only lasted for so long. Then Gai showed up at lunch and saved us by 'challenging' me to lunch, and he treated his team and mine."

Iruka smiled as he put more rice on his plate. "That was nice of him!"

"It was," Kakashi agreed. "Then we stuck together for the rest of the afternoon and had the kids spar, which went surprisingly well."

"Was Gai okay that I'm stealing you tonight?"

Kakashi laughed. "He is. I think he's more overwhelmed that I have a 'special someone of my heart's burning desire' to spend my birthday night with."

Iruka laughed and rolled his eyes. "Oh, Gai. Well, I'm sure he'll have plans for you this weekend."

Kakashi pouted. "I thought it could just be you and me this weekend."

Iruka smiled. "Well, you do have friends who want to celebrate with you."

"Yeah, but you also know how to make very attractive clones of yourself," Kakashi pointed out.

Iruka blushed. "I'm flattered? But I already told Asuma and Kurenai and everyone we'd go out Friday night to celebrate. Then we can have the rest of the weekend to ourselves."

"Fine," Kakashi sighed. "Promise?"

Iruka smiled. "Promise."

They finished eating and cleaned up, and sat on the sofa with tea and the bakery box.

Iruka opened it, revealing a small selection of individual desserts, namely mochi, dango, and sesame balls.

"I know, I know, you're not big into sweets, and I did think about forcing a proper cake on you," Iruka laughed, "but I thought this was a good compromise."

Kakashi leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I couldn't agree more."

Iruka smiled and kissed him back. "Now, next year, that's another story. And for our anniversary that's coming up. And for the winter holidays this year..."

Kakashi laughed. "I will never get between you and cake."

Iruka laughed as well. "Ah, yet another reason I love you," he said, smiling. "Do you want your gift now too?"

Kakashi shook his head as he reached for a sesame ball. "Maybe later. You didn't have to go to all this trouble, though I do appreciate it."

"I wanted to," Iruka said, softly. "It's the first birthday of yours I get to celebrate. And you spoiled me for mine. I just wanted to go all out..."

Kakashi hummed as he pulled them back to lay on the sofa together. "This is perfect, just as it is. Here, with you. Thank you, Iruka."

"You're welcome, Kakashi," Iruka said, softly. "Happy birthday."

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and suggestions welcomed!
> 
> Let's connect, I'm on [tumblr](https://hkandiu.tumblr.com/)


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